During the mid-2000s a group of voluntary health professionals from across Australia, including doctors, nurses, allied health workers and laboratory scientists along with socially aware individuals began visiting the province of Nusa Tenggara Timur in Indonesian West Timor.
The Flinders Overseas Health Group was conceived after their exposure to the challenging health issues in West Timor. In particular the high level of maternal and infant mortality in the region which is one of Indonesia’s poorest.
The visits highlighted the need for a long term collaborative approach to meeting the health needs of rural and urban communities, addressing resource issues in the hospitals and providing professional development for local specialists in multiple areas. Reports of some trips before 2015 can be found below.
Health initiatives are outlined in the ‘About’ page under ‘Scope of activities’. Please click here.
There have also been parallel programmes assisting with various identified community needs and some are outlined on this page. The objective was to improve the material living standards and the skills of those who took part.
FOHG Chair’s report for year 2013/14
This year has been one of many challenges and we have witnessed the considerable impacts of issues over which we have no control , the fallout from which has to say the least made for us a most challenging year .
Run for money!
I am a Nurse and a Midwife, who has been fortunate to receive excellent health care when I needed it in Australia. I was so grateful for surgery performed by Dr. Riddell, that changed my life. It inspired me to make a difference to those less fortunate.
From the Field
The latest MNH trip was a great start to the second FOHG Maternal and Neonatal Health program that has commenced in Nagekeo district in Flores. The team consisted of 2 Australians, one Indonesian midwife who was one of the clinical leaders from the 2009 MNH program in Ende and two Indonesian educator/interpreters. The program was designed to cater for the absence of a hospital in this district.